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Oh, hey! Look at that. It’s um, 2013. :) I guess it’s safe to say I’ve been a little busy. Busy getting Influential Magic finished and finally, finally it’s here! Yes! I love this book. It sits squarely in the urban fantasy genre, which is mostly what I read. It’s also considered New Adult. Willow is twenty-four and although she already has an established career (or two) she’s just learning what her life has in store for her and dealing with two hot men–one of which happens to be her childhood crush. Sigh.

I’d love it if all of my Jade Calhoun fans would check this new series out! The second one is due in November. And speaking of Jade Calhoun, Angles of Bourbon Street is due out in May. Yep. May. So not too much longer.

It’s tough being a faery in New Orleans, a city fraught with vampires… especially when their very existence drains your life force.

Willow Rhoswen, owner of The Fated Cupcake and part-time vampire hunter for the Void is having a rough week. Four years after her twin brother’s mysterious death, Willow’s life is threatened and the director saddles her with a new partner—her ex-boyfriend, David. To her horror, he’s turned vamp, which causes her physical pain whenever she touches him… and any other specimen of the undead.

In order to save Willow’s life, David agrees to turn double agent against the most powerful vampire organization in New Orleans. Or so he says. And she’s convinced they know something about her brother’s death. Unsure where David’s loyalties lie, she turns to Talisen, her childhood crush, to help her solve the mystery.

Caught between two gorgeous men and a director who’ll stop at nothing to control Willow’s gifts, she’ll have to follow her instincts and learn who to trust. Otherwise, she risks losing more than just her life.

It’s been a while. We hope you are enjoying your holiday season where ever you are. Greg and I are having a relaxing Thanksgiving filling up on Turkey and Carrot Cake.

But we are also running our annual Giving Thanks Sale!

25% off everything in the murrine and bead Etsy stores and on the murrine on the website. Prices are already marked. Sales runs 11/22 (Thanksgiving) through Sunday night the 25th ending at midnight CST. (Note: wholesale orders, custom orders, and made to order items are not available at the sale rates).

New Orleans coven leader, Jade Calhoun, is embarking on a Hellish mission. Literally. A week ago her ex sacrificed himself to Hell in order to save Jade’s mother. While he suffers, Jade will stop at nothing to bring him home…even if it means working with Lailah, an angel she’s never trusted.

But the stakes are raised when Jade discovers her boyfriend, Kane, is marked by a demon. The very same one who tried seducing him right before Jade’s eyes. Now Kane’s life is on the line, and consequently, Jade’s soul is compromised. She’ll need all the help she can get, including Lailah’s, as she fights her way through Hell to save her ex and Kane—and her entire existence.

I’ve been self-publishing my novels for just over a year now. My anniversary was July 29th. Book three, Demons of Bourbon Street, comes out in a week or so and Influential Magic (the first of a new series) will be coming out late November or early December. My journey has been filled with challenges, triumphs, and a lot of support. Over the last year, I’ve only had one person give me the obvious pitying look when I say I’m self-published. Everyone else thinks it’s awesome I’m following my dreams. If not, they’ve been kind enough to keep their opinions to themselves.

I’ve seen the negative tone of self-publishing online, but mostly it comes from people entrenched in traditional publishing. I get it. Change is here. And that makes people uncomfortable. Since I don’t know a lot of people in traditional publishing (those I do know have embraced self-publishing), I’ve been shielded from the negativity.

When I read that my fellow authors are experiencing such negativity from friends and family, I’m shocked. Really? Really!? These are people who love you. They should be supporting you. I can’t tell you how mad that makes me. Writer friends, I’m here for you always. I’ll be your biggest cheerleader. Promise.

I know I live in a creative bubble. Being a glass artist, most of my friends are also glass artists. Many of them are entrepreneurs themselves. And my family? I suppose my life is already kooky enough they are no longer surprised by the paths I walk. When I was twenty-nine, hubby and I quit our corporate jobs, sold our house, and moved into an RV to work our way across the country at RV parks. Two years later, I became a full-time artist after having never shown much interest or talent in any art form before. Self-publishing must be tame by comparison. Maybe I’ve conditioned them. :D

But the point is, not one of them has told me I’m wasting my time or stupid for writing and self-publishing. Not one. Even when my friends read my first drafts that were filled with plot holes, passive writing, and atrocious typos and grammar, did they ever do anything other than encourage and support me.

I’ve got a confession to make. Even with all that love and support, I still feel the stigma of self-publishing. Maybe it’s because when I started my writing journey I was told over and over by the industry, “Do not self-publish.” It was the fastest way to harpoon any sort of writing career. Maybe it’s because I’ve read a number of traditionally published authors bash the self-publishing movement. Maybe I don’t want anyone popping my happy bubble. So when I went to my first local writers’ group this last weekend, I was scared to tell anyone I’m a self-publisher. I sat quietly, listened to the meeting, chatted with my neighbor, gave my opinion about the importance of using Twitter and Facebook, and then quietly slipped out when the meeting was over. They were a good group. I liked them. Still, I wasn’t ready to confess my sin.

I’m a self-published author.

And to date, I’ve sold over 30,000 copies of my two books, Haunted on Bourbon Street and Witches of Bourbon Street.

It’s funny. In my daily life, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. I’ve learned a lot. I never hesitate to give anyone who asks my opinion of the industry. I answer emails and threads about business questions as honestly as possible, often giving real numbers. Yet, put me in a room full of authors I don’t know, many of them traditionally published, and I become a wallflower.

I hope to remedy that at the next meeting. I’ve accomplished something pretty amazing, I think. Am I a NYT bestseller? No, not yet. But my books are regularly on the top 100 genre lists on Amazon, and that’s nothing to sneeze at. Next meeting, insecure self-publisher girl is staying home and proud author is going in her place.

I know, I know. When? Right? The best I can say is sometime this month. I’m busy going through edits now. And I promise, it’s almost there. But then the manuscript has to go through a couple proofreading passes. Then formatting. If you want to be the first to know, you can sign up for my newsletter (I don’t spam…ever), follow me on Facebook or Twitter, or follow this blog. I will be sure to spread the word as soon as it’s available. In the meantime, here’s the synopsis:

New Orleans coven leader, Jade Calhoun, is embarking on a Hellish mission. Literally. A week ago her ex sacrificed himself to Hell in order to save Jade’s mother. While he suffers, Jade will stop at nothing to bring him home…even if it means working with Lailah, an angel she’s never trusted.

But the stakes are raised when Jade discovers her boyfriend, Kane, is marked by a demon. The very same one who tried seducing him right before Jade’s eyes. Now Kane’s life is on the line, and consequently, Jade’s soul is compromised. She’ll need all the help she can get, including Lailah’s, as she fights her way through Hell to save her ex and Kane—and her entire existence.